The United States and Chinese military have been locking horns in secret cyber warfare exercises designed to help prevent the outbreak of real war between the two.

The Guardian revealed that two so-called war games were carried out last year through intermediary and Washington think-tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and organised with the help of the Beijing-based China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.

State department and Pentagon officials reportedly took part in the meetings with their Chinese counterparts in Bejing last June.

The first exercise required both sides to explain what steps they would take if attacked with a Stuxnet-like virus, while the second went further by asking them what they would do if it became clear the attack had been launched by the other country.

The US apparently agreed to the exercises in the hope of airing its frustrations at the growing number of cyber attacks aimed at its government, critical infrastructure and other organisations, but unsurprisingly its efforts appear to have hit another Chinese brick wall.